He was exhausted, not just mentally but physically as well. Between the grim reality that Gerard was gone and the sound of Alex's quiet sobs while laying beside him on their shared bed, he hadn't slept whatsoever. They were grieving; Gerard's death had brought mixed feelings of sorrow for them all.
People who openly expressed their grief, such as Eugene and Rowan; others who held their heads high for everyone else's sake, much like Ben himself and Gray; and others who seemed to have almost completely resigned. Teddy was almost cut off from reality when the news first emerged, while Alex had mellowed down completely. Quiet, meek, and almost fragile, which would contrast with the random bursts of energy he would have, whether it was sadness or anger, would come as a shock to everyone.
Alex hadn't been one who had quite learned how to express his feelings properly; Ben knew that well. Whenever he was upset, it would manifest itself in his anger. He would slowly burn himself out before allowing any sadness to show, and even then he would refuse to ever let a soul see it due to his fear of being seen as weak. So seeing him so utterly bleak and vulnerable made Ben feel helpless.
He sighed, shuffling closer to him but not reaching out, simply making sure Alex knew he was there. It was all he could do.
[08:00AM]
"You look tired, Ben."
"I didn’t get too much sleep last night; it looks like you didn’t either."
Ben glanced over at Gray, who had visible eyebags that stood out against his soft features. "I don't think any of us did; not only was there emotional shock, but Jake Ji's death is slowly cementing the fact that if someone that strong wasn't resistant to this sick game, then no one is really safe."
He looked away, staring at the wall in front of them. Gray was right; it was the reason they now stuck in groups. "Donald Na spoke to me yesterday after the trial." He froze, his head snapping over to Gray once more. "Donald Na??" He repeated, a bit taken aback, 'What could Donald have wanted with Gray?' Gray seemed to have noticed his shocked expression as he answered before Ben could form a question.
"He suggested an alliance; I didn’t give him an answer yet. I thought you should be the one to make a decision."
"I see. Donald Na is smart. But he's also cunning; the same way that he can be of help, he could also easily throw us under the bus."
"I thought so, but he did say something else that I haven't stopped thinking about."
"What is it?"
"He mentioned that there was most likely someone working with the mastermind."
"What?"
Gray nodded, confirming that Ben heard him right. He looked over at Ben, stepping a bit closer as he explained what Donald told him. Ben's thoughts raced as he went through the possibilities, of course he trusted his friends wholeheartedly which only left the union. Any of Jake’s friends seemed unlikely considering circumstances.
His thoughts were interrupted by the bell signaling the start of the day. “Guess we have to go” He had a grim look as he stared off in the direction of the murder hall as they ended up calling it. Gray gave a small nod as they both walked off in the direction of the hall.
[The main hall, 08:30 AM]
The still silence in the room was loud; nobody was really in a mood to talk whatsoever. Patiently waiting for the game master's distorted voice.
"Are you all ready for round 3?" There it was. The sickeningly joyful tone "It seems like you all seem rather down; not to worry, I have just the motivation."
It was like a trigger had been pulled. clear looks of alarm on everyone's faces, some expressing it more than the rest. "Today's round is extra special since I’ll be giving you all an opportunity." Silence. No one dared to speak up.
"In today's round, the murderer, caught and executed or not, can choose one player they would like to save."
"To save?" Rowan's voice broke the silence in the room. "Exactly. A life for another, if you will. You may choose any of the participants to escape; however, you may not save yourself."
"How can we trust you after what you did with Jake?" Eunchan spat with clear resentment. "Well. What choice do you have?" A dreadful silence filled the room at the words: He was right. They were all helpless pawns in a game with no winners. The difficulties were set for each round by the mastermind, and in a game where their loyalty to one another was tested, the difficulty was high.
"Now then. I expect to see quite a show this round. Be warned, though; an alarm will go off a few minutes after someone is killed. To avoid a mass massacre, of course, as entertaining as it would be, the game ending so soon would be no fun, would it?"
Ben grimaced, gritting his teeth, but he could see the visible looks of consideration on everyone else’s faces. Many of them would kill for each other if driven to that point. The union was filled with selfish bastards, but even then they all harbored strong bonds among their friends.
"Have fun; I'm sure it will be a quick round."
[09:20 AM]
"Be honest, you guys are considering it. Aren't you?"
Silence filled the room at Ben's question. The Eunjang members were quietly glancing at each other. "You guys can't be serious." Eugene looked at them with a look of shock on his face. "What? If at least one of us will be safe, then it won't be a waste at all." Alex protested through gritted teeth, clenching his hands into fists.
He wanted to do it for Ben's sake; it was obvious to them all. The bond between the two childhood friends couldn't be rivaled. They'd do anything for each other, whether it was taking someone else's life or their own. "GOGO!" Ben's angry voice made them all flinch. The carefree teen was not usually prone to anger, especially when showing it.
"Don't act like you didn't also consider it, Ben!" Alex snapped back.
"Of course I did. I'd go to whatever lengths were necessary to keep you safe. But in a game where we have no reassurance besides some sadistic psychos words, it'd be stupid to risk it! I won't risk getting executed if he'll just pull some shit and go back on his word."
Alex went quiet. "In a game with no morals, there's also nothing we can trust." The stronger teen sighed, walking over to place an arm around his best friend. "Right.." It was clear from the tone of voice that the dark-haired teen wasn't fully convinced, but the conversation was dropped for the time being.
In a game like this, even their own morals are put to the test. Just how far would they go for a taste of freedom? And for the people they love?
[09:57 AM]
"Do you think anyone else knows about this?" Jack asked, stepping into the room with caution. The room itself was bare; nothing of importance stood out in the confined room; in fact, the only thing inside was a large box. Its contents? Tools. Or, from what the note inside the chest stated, there were various items that could assist in murder if they were to get ‘creative’.
Both of them had stumbled across the room by pure accident. "Maybe that idiot Helmet might have known." Jimmy muttered, remembering the rope; no one had exactly known where he had gotten it. Jack nodded along to Jimmy's words, though the messy-haired teenager's back was still facing him. He quietly waited for whatever conclusion Jimmy came to.
After a few minutes of silence that was filled by the sound of Jimmy going through the items, the tall teen stood up and walked back to the door empty-handed. "Let's go; I'm getting hungry," The Yoosun head announced as he walked out of the room. Jack didn’t move at first, glancing at his friend before walking into the room.
Reaching into the box, he took the first tool to catch his eye, which was a used wrench. He ran his thumb along the cold metal, feeling how heavy it was in his hands. Jimmy didn't trust the mastermind enough to join in the sick game, but Jack, who was much more reckless, had already gathered his resolve.
Tightening his hand around his soon-to-be murder weapon, he walked out of the room, following after Jimmy and placing the weapon in his hoodie pocket.
[10:15 AM]
None of them had said a word. Within their group, the weakest link had already been established as Timothy. Now that Jake was gone, he and Dean had come to the unspoken conclusion that Timothy was the most vulnerable to getting hurt.
He tightened his grip around the kitchen knife he picked up. He promised himself wouldn't have to see another one of his friends die. Timothy was already hurt as is; Dean couldn't do it since he had tasked himself with watching over Timothy and Grape, who had also become weaker as time passed.
It was almost as if Grape had given up on surviving. No matter how much he talked to Sam, the other would rarely even acknowledge him.
"Hey, Gray told us to stay together!"
He stopped in his tracks, making sure to hide the knife from view. Pressing his back against the wall, he listened in on the conversation in the hallway.
"Did Gray also tell you to take that wrench with you?"
"..."
"You want to save Eugene; I want to save Ben. At Least one of us has to succeed, right?"
"Don’t die. Alright, mate?"
"Same to you; Don’t get stabbed."
"That’d be embarrassing."
"It would"
A chill ran down his spine when he heard them both burst into laughter. It sounded almost deranged but, at the same time it had a sad undertone to it. Though in one way, this gave him courage as he reasoned with himself. They were better off dead than alive; the longer they spent, the more their morals were twisted. Eunjang was considered the self-proclaimed ‘good guys', and they themselves overlooked the fact. When the stakes were this high, humanity was best left at the door.
[10:54 AM]
"They’ve started to catch on."
Well, it wasn't going to be long before at least one of them thought it up; not all of them are brainless delinquents."
"It should be fine; any sense of logic or critical thinking will get clouded in high-tension situations. Which is why I decided to raise the stakes in today's game."
"This is some sick and twisted shit, man."
"I’m well aware. Putting that aside, I suggest you be a bit more ‘present’ rather than hiding out. I understand you have a strong sense of self-preservation, but the moment they catch wind? I don't doubt they won't hesitate to tear you limb from limb."
He stiffened, not at all liking how the words were spoken in such a casual manner. Almost as if they weren’t discussing a possible murder. Then again, he couldn't have expected much else from that sick bastard. He no longer held a purpose; the only reason he was alive was because the bastard didn't want to get his hands dirty. ‘Fucking Asshole..’
[11:27 AM]
Donald was acting strange. But then, who wasn't? He didn’t allow it to show, but Jake’s death clearly stirred the union leader. Most didn’t notice it, but to Kingsley, it was fully apparent. He wasn't grieving like the others; no, Donald was frustrated. The whole structure of his union was being threatened. Forrest Lee wasn’t much of a loss to him, but Jake Ji was one of Donald's more favorable minions.
As per usual in the previous rounds, Donald didn't seem to have any plans to take action, choosing to be a silent spectator. He expected this much. Donald wasn't a self-sacrificing kind of person; he was someone who’d do anything for his own survival. For as long as Kingsley knew Donald, he always had a clear idea of the path he’d take; now was no different.
‘Don’t do anything I wouldn't do.’ Was what Donald had said when he noticed the brief consideration on his face. Donald had no plans to kill for him, and he was advised not to be foolish. He knew. Donald was well aware of the lengths he would go to. Maybe most would be hopeful or delusional in assuming it was due to not wanting one's companion to sacrifice themselves, but for Donald, he said so to avoid future inconvenience that would follow.
It was a truth he’d rather not think about, but it was a reality that he was well aware of.
[12:17 PM]
"Hey Gray, where’s Gogo?" He placed a hand on the shorter teen's shoulder. "He went with Rowan to get something to eat,' Teddy answered. Ben frowned, visibly worried. "Don’t worry, Rowan is with him; they’ll be alright," Gray reassured, giving him a small nod.
Ben didn't believe it fully, but he nodded, still visibly tense. He decided it was most likely paranoia from the situation itself. He sighed heavily before sitting down next to Eugene, who was fast asleep. He glanced at the weak-looking teen before looking over at Gray. "Has he been sleeping properly?" The answer was obvious. It was visible on everyone's faces that none of them had slept properly.
Gray shook his head. He looked equally exhausted. Ben sighed, standing up and moving Eugene into a more comfortable position on the couch before he sat down on the floor, leaning back against the couch. "We’ll get out of here."
[01:47 PM]
His heart was hammering in his chest. He felt short of breath despite not having done anything. "How the fuck do serial killers do this? ..." he muttered to himself. His grip on the knife tightened, cursing the way it felt loose due to how sweaty his hands were. He took a deep breath, stepping closer to Jack Kang and raising the knife above his head, ready to bring it down on the teen.
He hesitated. ‘Did he want this? What would Ben think? Was he really capable of murder?’ He stepped back, slowly lowering the knife as he did. The knife slipped from his hands, clattering to the ground and catching the other teenager's attention as he turned around. The look in his eyes went from confusion to recognition to rage. "Alex Go."
He saw Jack's lips move, but he couldn't hear; he was lost in his own realization. "Fuck, Rowan-" He turned around, running away from his abandoned attempt at murder. He had convinced himself to kill first; that way, Rowan wouldn't have to. But now–
Alex suddenly felt the wind knocked out of him as he stumbled backwards, watching the room flash across his eyes as he hit the ground. His eyes dilated as the impact with the ground made him gasp. The room blurred, making him feel nauseous. He could feel something wet envelope him, as if he was laying in a puddle. It was warm. It was red.
He felt himself being lifted off the ground by the neck. "Yo. It hurts, doesn’t it?”
[02:25 PM]
"Something's not right." Ben stood up; the concern on his face had gradually increased as time passed without Alex or Rowan returning. "I’m going to head to the kitchen." He couldn't shake it; no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake the feeling that Gogo needed him. He walked out before anything else was said, walking down the hallway in a hurried manner. Something was wrong.
oOoOo
He was caught off guard. The moment he separated from Alex, he was caught by surprise. Now standing there with a bloody wrench in hand, he wiped the blood from his chin. Never did he think he would be having a rematch with Eunchan Hong, and now he was fighting to the death with the Daehyeon student. He took a deep breath, stepping back slightly as he looked up at his opponent.
Looking at the blonde, who was leaning against the wall panting as he tried to recover from Rowan's previous attack. He could strike him down now, and yet he hesitated.
‘Eugene…’ He tightened his grip on the wrench. He shared a room with Eugene, and he knew just how much of a toll everything was taking on him. He saw the tears, and he heard the sobs that wracked through his friend. He remembered every second he counted as he hugged Eugene to his side and tried consoling him. He couldn’t let Eugene die. Sitting there in the dimly lit room, huddled up with his friend, all he could do was promise to get him out.
With his motive clear in his mind once more, he took a few steps towards Eunchan. The Daehyeon student, having been given the time to recover, did not allow himself to be taken down without a proper struggle. Lunging forward enough to avoid Rowan's attack and deliver one of his own, he stabbed the knife at Rowan’s abdomen. Much like Rowan, Eunchan had someone he wished to protect. To save.
[02:30 PM]
He couldn’t breathe. why? He tried to gasp for air. Nothing. His vision was blurred by his tears. Why did he weep? He wasn’t sure. He closed his eyes, hoping for the suffocating feeling to end soon. He felt as though he was in the depths of despair.
He couldn’t struggle, he couldn't escape, and he couldn't scream. "Ben…"
Even now, to the very end. All he did was make his friend worry. He wanted to be able to be by Ben’s side, and now he felt a strange sense of deja vu. His own reckless actions had him in the grasp of Jimmy Bae once more. Yet this time, there truly was no escaping his fate. “I’m sorry for letting you down..”
[02:34 PM]
Blood. So much blood. He felt sick. It hurt. His body hurt like hell, but it was over. There was no going back now, as the steady beating of their heart had come to an end. It was over. He was a murderer. A sick and twisted killer
But at least now it was going to be okay. He’d be safe. Right. He had done it for him. Through the tears that streamed down his face, a smile made its way to his face as he laughed, breaking down into sobs midway, the limp body still in his hands. What has he done? But it was too late. There was nothing he could do. It was over.
[02:42 PM]
Ben could swear his heart had stopped when he heard the bell, followed by the mastermind's announcement declaring the end of the day's round. He broke into a sprint, running down the halls recklessly, desperate to reach Alex. He yelled out for Alex in his moment of desperation.
He couldn't lose Alex. He had spent as long as he could remember with Gogo by his side; a life without Alex is a life he wouldn't be able to bear. He came to a stop before the doors of the cafeteria with a heavy heart, throwing them open and feeling his blood run cold at the sight. He didn't know whether to scream or to cry at the sight of his best friend's limp body in Jimmy’s grasp.
He charged forward, striking Jimmy in a blur of pure fury. The tall teen was caught off guard, losing his grip on Alex’s neck and letting the teen fall to the floor as he stumbled back due to the sheer force of Ben's blow. Letting out a strangled noise when Ben's arms wrapped firmly around his neck, strangling him and making him struggle for air. There was no point. Jack's yells faded into the background as Ben held him down. ‘So this was karma...?’
[Investigation Time]
"Ben Park, he’s not here. Neither is Eunchan."
"Alex and Rowan are still missing."
"Jimmy Bae and his right hand are also not here."
Gathered together in the main hall, they took note of the absent teens. As more time passed without any sight of them, the tension grew. ‘Had they lost more people than they initially thought?’
"Has it been updated?" Teddy asked, turning to Eugene, who was anxiously refreshing this device. "Do we have to find the body or something?" Teddy inquired, receiving a small shrug from Eugene in response. They had been checking the player list anxiously for any changes—for anyone crossed out like the other deceased had been.
Gray felt a knot forming in the pit of his stomach as they waited. His fear of Rowan and Alex ending up like Gerard made him feel sick. Examining a body was nausea-inducing in itself, but he couldn't bear looking at another corpse of his friend. He glanced at his phone, looking at the stream of messages he sent Ben—still no answer. Same with the other two.
His head snapped up when he heard the door of the hall open, silence filling the room as they all looked to see who had entered. Jimmy walked in with a tense Jack Kang at his side. Rowan had been not too far behind, walking over to his friends weakly. Eugene and Teddy rushed to him, helping him to the side of the hall they occupied. Waiting patiently as one by one, all the absent teenagers piled into the room. All but one.
"It’s rather late, isn’t it? It seems a lot of the players were late. No worries, we’ll start the trial now."
"What?? But we don’t even know who died!"
"Oh? Isn’t it obvious? I mean, everyone but the victim is here right now."
Silence filled the room. In the quiet of the room, all that could be heard were the exclamations of distress from a separate corner of the room.
[The Trial]
Leaning back against the wall of the trial room, he looked up, catching a glimpse of the pair of green eyes that stared back at him in disbelief. He could only bow his head in shame as the guilt of his own actions ate at him. But there was no point in feeling bad now.
"How are we supposed to find the killer when we couldn't even examine the body?"
"We can start with everyone who was late to the trial then."
Silence filled the room once more as they looked among everyone who fit the description. "I can vouch for Jimmy," Ben said. It was almost as if Ben had confessed to the murder itself; everyone, including Jimmy himself, stared at the Eunjang student in astonishment.
The (mostly one-sided) rivalry between the Yoosun head and Ben Park was a tale as old as time. Now seeing the same teenager offer to be Jimmy's alibi was a sight to see. As well as a strong defense for Jimmy, as Ben had no reason to stand for the messy-haired teen.
Gray looked over to the two childhood friends that were standing at each other's sides as per normal. Ben had a grim expression, and Alex looked to be on edge. What caught Gray’s eye were the bruises and marks on Alex's neck, as well as the dried-up blood on the teenager's body. Was that his own or had Alex...
He shook his head. ‘It couldn't be right? So why was Alex so fidgety? The marks on his body? The blood?’
Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward. "Gogo, the blood on your body, can I ask—"
"It’s his own blood." This time it was Jimmy coming to Alex’s defense. "I pushed him."
For a while, nobody said anything. Letting it sink in that the prideful Yoosun student had been the one to speak. Gray silently looked over the group; none of the four would meet his eyes. Just what had happened with the four of them?
Alex looked weak and injured. Ben looked troubled, with a flicker of guilt in his eyes. Jimmy looked frustrated; a closer look would show he had similar marks on his neck to Alex's. Jack was the quietest of them, not having said a single word since they had walked into the hall; he had the same blank look as always.
"He knows something." Heads all turned to the speaker, Wolf Keum. He was leaning against the wall, staring directly at the group of four. Though his gaze was specifically focused on Alex. Pushing himself off the wall, he walked towards Alex. Once he was standing in front of the teen, he reached out, grabbing him by the collar.
"HEY!" Ben's voice was raised as he reached to grab Wolf when he was stopped. "You—" He glared at Donald, who was trying to restrain him.
"Wolf is right; he knows something."
"I don't give a fuck; get away from him!" Ben snapped, punching Donald across the face, earning a fair share of gasps. Donald didn't step down, continuing to keep Ben from reaching Alex.
Wolf shook Alex violently, delivering a few blows to the already injured teen. "Gogo! Stop it!!" Eugene rushed to try to stop Wolf. "Gogo!" Gray yelled out as he broke free from Hwangmo's grip. "LEAVE HIM!" Ben screamed, getting more furious by the minute.
"This fucker knows something, and if he doesn't tell us, he's going to get us all killed!"
"....all..?" Alex bit his bottom lip, looking over at Ben and feeling a lump in his throat. ‘He couldn't.. He couldn't let Ben die because of him. But that would mean…'
"Let go of him!" Rowan pulled Alex away from Wolf's grip, stepping in front of him with his hands out in a protective manner. "Rowan—" Alex's voice was filled with distress. "It’s okay, mate... You don't have to lie for me. That's my thing after all." He looked back at Alex with a sad smile.
"You may all now cast your votes~!"
The silence was deafening. The end was inevitable. There was nothing any of them could do.
"Well then, for the murder of Eunchan Hong, it is time for your execution, Rowan Im. But, due to today's special rule, you may choose who you’d like to be allowed to leave."
Rowan nodded. Taking out his device from his pocket, he removed the small keychain version of himself from it. Walking towards Eugene, he placed the keychain in his hands. "I promised to get you out, didn't I?" He gave Eugene a grin. The shorter teen stood there, staring up at him in disbelief, tears streaming down his face. "N-no… Rowan, you're not the type to do this, no no no no…"
"I’m Sorry Eugene." He frowned, bringing his friend into a hug and letting him sob into his chest. "Wanna know something cool?" He asked the brown-haired teen. "W-what…?" He pulled back from the hug, placing both his hands firmly on Eugene's shoulders. "You can record messages on those little things. I left something for you; listen to it when you get home, okay?" Eugene sniffled, looking down at the small doll that was placed in his hands.
"I gotta go; take care of yourself, alright, mate? Tell your aunt I said goodbye!" And with that, Rowan stepped away from Eugene with a smile. "No stop! You promised we’d get out together!"
He frowned, looking at Eugene's tearful face. "Sorry, I guess I lied a bit." He laughed, scratching the back of his head. "Time’s up."
Screams of horror filled the hall as Rowan crumbled to the ground, clutching his hands. The scene was gruesome. Blood ran down like a waterfall from the many gunshot wounds that were made in Rowan's chest. Collapsing to the ground and coughing up blood. Ben rushed to Eugene, covering him so the teen didn't have to witness the sight.
Alex was still on the ground, trembling at the sight. He could feel Teddy’s nails dig into his skin as the blond clung to him. Gray had backed up against the wall, an absent look in his eyes as he stared down at Rowan's corpse.
"Everyone may return to their separate rooms; as for Eugene Gale, you’ll soon be returned back home, though there are a few procedures involved in that, but it will all be handled in a bit. I've sent coordinates to your phone; once you've prepared yourself, you can make your way to the room alone. Now then, congratulations to all the survivors."
[ People: 17/24]